2007-04-26 23:58:11 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It varies significantly, because Pluto has a highly eccentric orbit around the Sun, not to mention the fact that sometimes the Earth and Pluto are on the same side of the Sun, while sometimes they are on opposite sides. Pluto gets up to 4.58 billion miles from the Sun (aphelion), which is only 0.000780 light years. Pluto can also get as close to the Sun as 2.76 billion miles (perihelion), which is 0.000469 light years. These distances would be better described using light hours. Aphelion is 6.83 light hours and perihelion is 4.11 light hours. The Earth is about 0.139 light hours from the Sun. This varies, too, but much less than Pluto's orbital distance does. So, basically, the distance between the Earth and Pluto varies from a minimum of 4.11 - 0.139 = 3.97 light hours and a maximum of 6.83 + 0.139 = 6.69 light hours. If you really must have these distances in light years instead, they are 0.000453 and 0.000764, respectively.
It's important to note that light years are a unit of length, not time. It's the distance light travels in one year. Similarly, a light hour is the distance light travels in one hour.
2007-04-27 00:03:13 · answer #1 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Your question is nonsensical. A light year is a measure of distance not time.
The question "How many years to reach Pluto?" Depends on a number of factors like where the earth is in relation to Pluto at that time, if there on opposite sides of the sun for instance it will take far longer then if they are on the same side of the sun.
Also Pluto's orbit is highly irregular and at times it is nearer to earth than Neptune (since 1999 it's been further away though).
2007-04-27 09:09:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How long would it take for light to reach pluto? Well light speed is a constant, it moves at 186,000 miles a second. That's around the world eight times a second. now pluto's average distance from the sun is 3,670,050,000 miles
So to work out how long it takes for light to reach pluto its just a matter of working out how many times does 186,000 go into 3,670,050,000. say it was 20 times, then we'd have the answer of 20 seconds to reach pluto..of course the numbers much greater than that but you get the picture
2007-04-27 07:57:35 · answer #3 · answered by james james 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Light years measure distance, not time.One light year is the distance light travels in one year. Pluto is on average, about 2.7 billion miles from Earth. A light year equals something like 5,879 billion miles. It would take light four hours to reach Pluto from Earth.
2007-04-27 07:10:56 · answer #4 · answered by Arun K 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A light year is a measure of distance, not time as your question suggests you think it is. Pluto varies from 0.0005 light years and 0.0008 light years from the sun, or about four to seven light hours.
2007-04-27 07:09:17 · answer #5 · answered by Jason T 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i would say really roughly not more than a light hour. cause from sun to earth it is 5 light minutes.
so find somewhere average AU astronomic units distance sun->pluto and multiply by 5 minutes.
pluto is average 39.5 AU from sun, so it is 3 light hours and 20 light minutes from sun to Pluto from earth, this differs +- 5 minutes realting on what side of sun the earth currently is.
edit do not multiply by 5 but 8 minutes, so the average would be 5.47 hours. the earth position renders 8 minutes deviation ... hope will get the thumb up now.
2007-04-27 07:09:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
13 light hours....or 6 trillion miles.....or A light year is also approximately 9 quintillion millimeters ...
2007-04-27 07:17:09 · answer #7 · answered by nicolas a 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a small fraction of a light year
2007-04-27 07:04:22 · answer #8 · answered by bprice215 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
0.1 i think
2007-04-27 07:14:53 · answer #9 · answered by Eddyking4 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋